Essential Reiki
Level I
Rev. Brian C. Likens
Essential Reiki Master Email:
[email protected]
What is Reiki? Reiki is not a religion. It beholds no doctrines, creeds or contradictions to the universal laws of consciousness and love. No matter where the person may be at a certain point in their life, Reiki will harmonize and embrace their philosophical center point, adding to it the divine presence. Once an individual is attuned to Reiki through initiations, they are permanently linked without the need of conscious alteration of the mind, either through meditation, prayer, or imaging. Simply by placing one’s hands on oneself, or another person, allows the energy to flow through the individual. It fills the Reiki practitioner’s hands into the individual who is receiving the healing. Reiki energy comes from the God-Force and is an extremely powerful healing energy. It is one of the few forms of healing that can be used to heal oneself. Reiki does not conflict with other health-care, but enhances its result. It does not interfere with traditional medical treatment, but facilitates benefits. Reiki speeds the healing process, and provides a source of restoring energy while one is ill, under medical treatment, or in recovery. Reiki healing is a pure energy form. When it is combined with the sincere desire of the healee, who is willing to effect a cleansing within their emotional and spiritual consciousness, a total healing can occur. We must always remember that the energy of the God-Force is neutral and awaits the positive, productive empowerment by the healee, the Reiki practitioner plays an instrumental part in transformation, and yet ultimately it is up to the healee to manifest harmony and balance in their life. The Reiki practitioner is a channel and must not allow the “Ego-Will” to desire the healee well. The Reiki practitioner must be a clear vessel through which the healing energy flows. This allows the highest soul purpose to be the outcome of the healing. 2
Reiki is a tool for use at any moment, anytime, anywhere for on-the-spot stress release, pain relief and quick energy. In short, Reiki is a wholistic self-help technique for directing natural life energy. No special environment or equipment is needed and age makes no difference. By following steps taught by a trained Reiki Master/Teacher, anyone is able to direct the “Light Energy” of Reiki to meet individual needs. **Reiki is pronounced “Ray-Key” **Rei — means “Universal” and refers also to the spiritual dimension and the soul. **Ki — means the vital life force energy which flows through all that is alive. These Japanese characters, when combined, present the concept of “Universal Life Force Energy”. Reiki energy is whole, not dual. It is, therefore, neither positive nor negative per se, but rather is the combination of these qualities.
Traditional Reiki Kanji
Modern Reiki Kanji
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The Three Degrees of Reiki There are three degrees, or levels, of the Reiki ray. Each possesses a unique radiation of energy set forth for a specific purpose in healing. First Degree: This degree is a permanent attunement to the Reiki ray. Once initiated, it allows a person to channel Reiki energy for healing oneself and others. It requires no special invocation or alteration of the thinking process to “Turn On” the flow of Reiki. By simply placing hands on and opening the heart to love, one automatically brings in the energy. The First degree is the foundation of all three degrees, and must first be mastered thoroughly before the person is considered for the next degree. Second Degree: The Second degree requires further initiations for attunement to the keys utilized in this level. The student is trained to use appropriate Second degree keys (symbols) which provide an increase of power from the Reiki ray for absent healing and mental and emotional healing. Third Degree - Master / Teacher: This degree designation is the level of Reiki Master, a Teacher of Reiki. The student is attuned to the full Reiki ray, and for those guided, the path of the teacher begins to unfold.
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The Two Precepts of Reiki I. The person must ask: We must ask to be healed, and in asking, open ourselves up at the throat level. We vocalize and hear ourselves say, “I want to change where I am; I want to alter my state of existence.” In asking, the person is putting forth a conscious decision to become involved. The request may also be made on the soul level. It is from the soul level that the person asks for a healing. As a Reiki practitioner, you are a viaduct - a channel through which energy of Reiki flows. It is essential to listen and render service to the request of the soul.
II. There must be an exchange of energy for services: The healing energy belongs to the universe, to the God-Force. However, there needs to be a creative exchange from the recipient, the healee, to the person whose time and service is rendering balancing and healing. Energy exchange can be anything from the stored concept of energy we call “Money”, to an exchange of services between the healee and the Reiki practitioner. Reiki practitioners offering healing services on a professional level do establish a fee. The fee sets a value on the service, which is considered a concrete reality in the thinking of humankind. Wellness, likewise, has a value, and ultimately reflects the feeling of worthiness and self love of the person seeking to change their state of health.
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The History and Origin of Reiki The origin of Reiki can be traced back to Ancient Tibet, thousands of years ago. This technique was re-discovered in the mid-1800’s by Dr. Mikao Usui of Japan. The tradition of Reiki was an oral one, and was passed on by Master to student by word of mouth. The story most likely has been dramatically embellished by each storyteller over the years to emphasize the wonder and beauty of the Legend of Dr. Usui. The following is the story as it was passed down by Mrs. Hawayo Takata. In the year of 1822 in the city of Kyoto, Japan, Dr. Mikao Usui (a Christian minister) was giving a sermon. After the service, two seminary students asked him to explain how Jesus performed the miracles of healing, and furthermore, whether or not he could perform those same miracles. Dr. Usui was not able to answer “Yes”. He felt that he understood the Bible intellectually, but he did not understand how Jesus healed. This marked the beginning of Dr. Usui’s lifelong quest to uncover the course of ancient healing techniques. He left Japan, came to America, and studied at the University of Chicago. During his stay in the United States, he earned a Doctorate Degree in Theology. He searched the scriptures to try to uncover the secret of how Jesus and his disciples healed the sick and performed miracles, but he did not find the answers he sought during his time in the United States. Upon his return to Japan, it occurred to him that the Buddha had performed the same type of miracles as Jesus. He, too, had healed the sick and had great control of energy. He channeled the power of God and the Universe. Dr. Usui began asking the different Buddhist sects if they could perform the miracles that Buddha performed, could they heal the body? The Buddhist felt that healing of the spirit and healing of the body was not always directly connected. They concentrated on the spirit, and not on the body. They left the healing of the body up to those in the healing arts.
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Finally, Dr. Usui went to a Zen Monastery. He asked the same question of the head monk, “Do the Zen know how to heal the body?” The monk explained that they were concentrating heavily on healing the spirit and there was just not time to teach the physical healing of the body. Dr. Usui requested that he be admitted to the Zen Monastery so that he could study the Buddhist scriptures, the sutras, in search of the key to healing. He was admitted and so began his study. Dr. Usui first studied the Japanese translations of the Buddhist scriptures. He did not find the explanation he sought. He then learned Chinese so that a wider range of Buddhist writing were available to him, but still without success. He was guided, through his meditations, to learn Sanskrit so that he could read the original Buddhist writings and have access to those writings that had never been translated into another language. After mastering the language of the Sanskrit, he began reading the teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist sect. From those writings, Dr. Usui discovered what he felt to be the keys to healing. He found the symbols, formulas, and description on how Buddha healed. At the end of his long search, he found what he sought — but not quite. Although he believed he had uncovered the knowledge, he still did not have the power to heal. He discussed this with his old friend, the monk. They both meditated upon which path Dr. Usui should take. They were told that Dr. Usui should go to a designated place upon the holy mountain Kuri Yama. There he was to fast for twenty one days and meditate, to seek the power to heal. During this time he would receive enlightenment and spiritual clarity. Dr. Usui climbed Kuri Yama to a certain level, and found a place that faced east. Since he had no calendar, he gathered twenty one small stones and placed them before him. Every morning he awakened before the sun rose and would throw one of the twenty one stones off the side of the mountain to keep count of the days.
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Each day he meditated and fasted. On the twenty first day, he awakened to a darkened morning. It was like a new moon day, when no light shone in the heavens before the breaking of dawn. When he awakened he could not see his hand in front of his face. He found his way to his meditation spot and picked up the last stone. He prayed before throwing the last stone off the side of the mountain. He asked God for confirmation of his findings and asked to be given the enlightenment of how to use it. As he threw the last stone off the mountain, a light appeared far off in the east. It began getting brighter and coming closer to him. It frightened him and he wanted to run away. He thought to himself, “You have searched for years and years, and you have meditated and fasted for twenty one days. You have asked for enlightenment and confirmation, and now you want to run away from it?” So, Dr. Usui quieted his intellect and said, “No, if that light is for me, I accept the enlightenment.” The light became very bright and streamed across the heavens and hit him directly in his third eye. For a moment, he thought he had died and ascended into heaven, because he had never before been in such a euphoric state. He saw many, many bubbles in all the colors of the rainbow. Then came the powerful, bright white light, followed by golden Sanskrit letters — the secret formula of the Universal Life Force and how to contact it. They came to him one by one, commanding him to memorize and preserve them. Finally the bubbles, the light, and the Sanskrit letters had come and gone. Dr. Usui felt rested, full of life and energy. He jumped to his feet. He wanted to hurry back and tell the monk his exciting news. In his rush he stubbed his toe on a rock. He reached down to comfort the pain and saw the bleeding. He found that the pain and the bleeding quit very rapidly. He realized that something was different in his hands. They had become very hot with energy. After healing his toe, he continued his pilgrimage down the mountain.
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Soon he began to feel hungry, so he stopped at a home that served travelers and ordered cold rice and cold tea. In a few moments, a Japanese girl, with a bandage wrapped around her jaw, brought him his meal. She told Dr. Usui that her tooth had been aching for days. Encouraged by his own phenomenal pain relief, Dr. Usui asked, “May I give you a healing?” She accepted his offer gladly. He put his hands around her jaw and within a short period the pain and swelling started going down. She was very happy and went to tell her father. Dr. Usui ate his meal and then went to pay the Papa San. He reached into his pocket to get some coins, but the Papa San said, “Thank you, Sir monk, but I cannot accept the money. You have offered unto my daughter a service for which I do not have the money to pay. Please accept the food in exchange for the healing services that you have rendered.” Dr. Usui accepted the food in exchange for his services, as a healing channel. Upon returning to Kyoto, he went to tell his friend, the monk, what had happened. He found the monk very ill. Dr. Usui asked the monk if he could lay his hands on him. The monk felt better immediately. Dr. Usui later asked the monk for advice on what he should do now that he had received the keys and the energy of healing. He wanted to learn more about its use and how to develop it. He was directed by the monk to meditate on it. From his meditation, Dr. Usui was guided to go to the Beggar Kingdom in Tokyo. This kingdom was controlled by a beggar king. Dr. Usui went to see the Beggar King and asked if he might live there to heal the sick and the afflicted. The Beggar King admitted him, but did not believe Dr. Usui would succeed in healing the beggars. For the next seven years, Dr. Usui worked on healing the sick in the Beggar Kingdom. He worked from daylight to dark, healing the young and old alike and saw many beautiful results. He began to understand how Reiki flowed through him into the healee, and how the body became well.
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One afternoon Dr. Usui took a walk to the edge of the Beggar Kingdom. He saw a young beggar who looked familiar. Dr. Usui asked if the beggar knew him. The beggar replied, “Of course, Master, I know you. Do you not remember me? I am one of the first beggars that you healed.” Dr. Usui said, “I healed you and you are still a beggar?” The beggar looked at him and said, “Oh! Master, yes, and I did just what you told me. I went out to the temple to receive a new name, and went into society and began dealing with my karma. I even got a job and soon married, but it was too much responsibility. So I decided that I could rather be a beggar. That way, I would not even have to be responsible for myself.” Dr. Usui was greatly upset, and thought “What a terrible thing I have done. Perhaps the churches were right - the physical is not enough - the spiritual has to also be healed. Never again will Reiki be given away. Always there will have to be an exchange of energy.” He immediately left the Beggar Kingdom. As he walked back to the monastery, Dr. Usui was greeted in spirit, by his teachers who had greeted him on Kuri Yama. This time he was given the five spiritual principals of Reiki: Just for today— I will not worry. I will not be angry. I will do my work honestly. I will give thanks for my many blessings I will be kind to my neighbor and all living things These five principals created significant changes in the subsequent healings of Dr. Usui. He realized that he had been giving healing away without requiring the healee to take any responsibility whatsoever. Also, there had not been an exchange of energy for the services rendered. The new teachings provided him with new spiritual concepts to be integrated with the physical aspect of the Reiki energy 10
Dr. Usui got a torch and lit it, and went walking in Kyoto. He was stopped and asked why he was carrying a lit torch in the middle of the day with the sun shining so brightly. He replied that he was searching for people with a heart full of love and with enlightened hearts, but who are sad and sorrowful and do not know the true light. He invited the people to come and hear about Reiki. This was how Dr. Usui started teaching Reiki throughout Japan and gathered a following of sixteen teachers. Dr. Usui made his transition about 1893, after asking Dr. Chujiro Hayashi to preserve the Reiki teachings. Dr. Hayashi continued in Dr. Usui’s tradition: traveling, teaching, and dedicating his life to Reiki. He trained two Japanese women. One of these teachers (his wife) stayed in Japan. The other, Mrs. Hawayo Takata, of Hawaii, was named the Grand Reiki Master in 1938, prior to Dr. Hayashi’s death. Mrs. Takata was instrumental in spreading the Reiki teachings to the United States and Canada. * Since Hawayo Takata’s death, Reiki has gone through many changes in the West. Phyllis Furumoto, Takata’s successor and granddaughter, has been named the Grand Master of Usui Traditional Reiki. Teaching techniques and methods have undergone changes, and several branches of Reiki have evolved. Each of these branches claims to possess the only correct way, but the fact is that all the methods work and all of them were derived from Hawayo Takata’s teachings. * Reiki is changing and evolving since the time of Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi and Hawayo Takata. It is reaching more people, particularly where some nontraditional teachers are now no longer charging high fees. How the Buddha taught laying on of hands healing, and how Jesus learned and taught it are no longer known. The origins of Reiki need to be honored, while at the same time respecting the changing world and the changing neeeds of people and the Earth. We need to carry on the teaching of Reiki, preserving effective methods so that they can no longer be lost, and at the same time, putting Reiki within reach of any who want to learn it. Reiki is love, and in this time of planetary crisis, we all need all the love we can get. Essential Reiki is a non-traditional Reiki path, created by Diane Stein, author of Essential Reiki, around 1990. 11 * Excerpt from © Diane Stein, Essential Reiki
Dr. Mikao Usui
Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
Hawayo Takata
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Reiki Session Steps Person is Present: Front of Body (person lying on back): 1.Ask permission to touch body. 2.Scan body energy 3.Open the seven main chakras. 4.Connect with the Universe and with client (hold hands in prayer position & ask for Reiki to flow). 5.Begin Reiki session (Start at head position, working towards feet). 6.Close on chest with a “T”. 7.Sweep Aura (min. of 3 times). Back of Body (person lying on stomach): 1.Open the seven main chakras. 2.Connect with your client (one hand on base of neck, the other on bottom of spine). 3.Begin Reiki session (start at neck/upper back, working way down). 4.Close with a “T” on coccyx area. 5.Sweep aura (min. of 3 times). 13
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Illustrations by Diane Stein, © Essential Reiki
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Illustrations by Diane Stein, © Essential Reiki
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Illustrations by Diane Stein, © Essential Reiki
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Illustrations by Diane Stein, © Essential Reiki
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Illustrations by Diane Stein, © Essential Reiki
Cho ku rei (cho koo ray) (long o in cho ) is the Usui power boost mantra and symbol to increase the power of Reiki . This energy calls in higher universal energy and accelerates Reiki from low to high and gives greater power and focus to the energy .Power boost is used with the other energies as well as by itself during all treatments hands on or distance. This energy has been used to clear rooms and crystals and to charge food and water.
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Spiritual Lineage Diane Stein (founder of Essential Reiki)
Carolyn Taylor
Isabelle McVay
John van Eekelen
Diane Scarazzini
Rev. Brian C. Likens
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NOTES
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